Participants in Prince Albert’s Canadian Walk for Veterans did more than make their way around Kinsmen Park on Saturday.
As the group followed the route through the park, walkers stopped at signs placed along the path recognizing conflicts from the past. People paused to read each one before continuing.
The walk followed a ceremony at the stage in Kinsmen Park, where the Royal Canadian Legion colour party marched in and placed the flags before speakers addressed the crowd.
River Valley Resilience Retreat co-founder and executive director Michelle McKeaveney welcomed participants before remarks from Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross, Mayor Bill Powalinsky and veteran Emile Highway. The colour party then led walkers onto the route.
Evert Botha, who handles communications for River Valley Resilience Retreat, was also on site helping organizers prepare for the event.
Madison McKeaveney, a River Valley Resilience Retreat volunteer and peer support specialist, said about 30 people had registered for the event by early afternoon. Some had registered online in support of the walk and were not necessarily at the park.
For Madison, the success of the event was not simply measured by the size of the crowd.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
Emile Highway, president of the Prince Albert branch of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association, speaks during the Canadian Walk for Veterans ceremony at Kinsmen Park on Saturday.
“I just feel like consistency is key by having this every year,” she said.
Madison said the walk has drawn both larger and smaller groups over the years, but continuing to hold it keeps veterans and the challenges they may face in the public eye.
Michelle said the walk gives people another opportunity outside Remembrance Day to recognize veterans and current service members.
“These conflicts don’t just happen on one day,” she said. “They are happening all over.”
Michelle said veterans are often people residents encounter in everyday life without realizing they have served. Some move into policing, firefighting or other public safety work after leaving the military.
Highway, president of the Prince Albert branch of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association, served 14 years in the infantry and another four years in the engineers.
Speaking to the crowd Saturday, Highway said support for veterans should not end when their military service does.
“The country, in return, makes a promise that is supposed to last, not only during the time of their service or in uniform, but for the rest of their lives,” Highway said.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
A sign recognizing Canadian Armed Forces members who served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2014 is seen along the route as participants take part in the Canadian Walk for Veterans at Kinsmen Park on Saturday.
He also said veterans should not only be viewed as people who need help, but as people who continue to have something to contribute to their communities.
Highway spoke about the experience of Indigenous soldiers serving alongside people from different backgrounds and said those shared experiences can help build trust between Canadians.
Michelle said the presence of members of the Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association was especially important because Indigenous veterans have not always received the recognition they deserve for their service.
The need for connection does not end when the walk is over.
In a separate interview following Saturday’s event, veteran David Bona, who was not at the walk, said veterans can become isolated after leaving military life.
“A lot of us, we isolate, and the only people we really can relate to are people with similar exposures to what we have,” Bona said.
Bona served 14 years in the Canadian Forces. He said support from veterans and organizations such as River Valley Resilience Retreat has made a major difference in his life.
He said seeing people take part in events such as the Walk for Veterans also matters.
“They’re there to support us, and it feels good to see people showing up like that to help support us,” Bona said.
River Valley Resilience Retreat hosts the Prince Albert walk as part of the national Canadian Walk for Veterans. Michelle said the local event is intended to let veterans, serving members and the community walk together while remembering those who served before them.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
